Railroad safety-switch apparatus



2 Sheets -Shet. 1.

'G. H. JACKSON. Railroad Safety-Switch Apparatus.

Patented Jan. 13, 1880 21.14 Miran a (Km m. km N I N FETI'ERS, FHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER, WISNINGTON D C,

2 Sheets-Sheen 2.

C. H. JACKSON. Railroad Safety-Switch Apparatus.

No. 223,516. Patented Jan. 13, 1880.

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W\\\ Ma UNITED STATES PATENT OrrioE,

CALEB H. JACKSON, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD SAFETY-SWITCH APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,516, dated January 13, 1880.

l I Application filed November 6, 1879 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALEB H. JAcKsoN, of Harrisburg, county of Dauphin, State of Pennsylvania, have inve-nted'or discovered a new anduseful Improvement in Railroad Safety- Switches; and I do hereby declare the followin g to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-like letters indicatingilike parts- Figure 1, Sheet 1, shows, in perspective, my improved device in. one position of adjustment. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation in the plane of the line or .90 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, and 5are top or plan views, on areduced scale, of the same apparatus, showing its different adjustments in ordinary use; and Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is an outline or diagram illustrative of the manner of using the invention.

The present invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for operating what are commonly known as interlocking switches and signals, used in or connected with railway-tracks; and the chief object which I have in mind is a construction which will enable me to operate a three-throw switch by-the use of two switch-levers, in connection with three signal-levers, (all interlocking,) such as are employed in what" is commonly known as the Saxby'and' Farmer interlocking switch, and in such manner that while the switch and signal levers are interlocked, as in said apparatus, as against mistakes of the.switchman,the movable switch-rails will, by the apparatus itself, be securely locked in each of their three positions as against any and all tendency to be displaced by the irregular movements of a passing train.

The relationship of my present invention to the Saxby and Farmer apparatus is illustrated inFig. 6, Sheet 2, so far as is necessary to an understanding of what is claimed herein.

A main line or track is represented at X, and the movable switch-rails of a three-throw stubswitch at X. Y represents one siding, and Z --the other.

' At B D, I arrange the apparatus, hereinafter described, and connect it by the stems B D with switch-levers, (represented by lines B D Eachline of track has a'signal, as at 2, 4, and

6, and these signals are operated by levers, (illustrated by lines at 1, 3, and 5.) All the levers interlock as in the Saxby and Farmer system; but in such system three switch-levers have heretofore been used as well as three signal-levers. By my present improvement I get rid of one switch-lever, and also look the movablerails as againstall tendency tobe thrown out of position by the action'of the train itself. r

In the drawings, A represents any suitable box, foundation, or support, within which the slotted switch plates or frames B D are to be worked by a longitudinally-slidingmotionforward and back.

These plates or frames may be guided in any suitable or convenient way, as by grooves or tongues, but preferably by transverse friction-rollers a a and vertical edge-bearing-rollers a a. Each plate also has, by preference, a central slot, at, extending in the direction of its motion, as long as the motion, and with a guide-roller, n, mounted in a cross-bar of the box working therein.

The plates B D have the usual connections B D, which are to extend to the switch-le 'ers,

which latter may be of any known construc tion. One plate, B, has a slot, designated generally as B One end, 0, of this slot extends from a point,fc, which in the adjust. ment of the apparatus is about midway be tween the extremesof motion imparted to the switch-bar H in one direction in the direction of the motion of the bar a distance The other plate, D, has a slot, lettered generally as D but which in its position or direction is the reverse of B Fixing the central or middle joint, 0, as before, one end, 0, extends transversely across the plate the same distance as a, but in the opposite direction,

and the diagonal part c in likemanncr representsa hypotenuse to an assumed prolongation of e, and terminates in a similar seat, 6 A stem or journal, 8, passing through. the

.bar H, has a friction-roller, s, at each end,

' 3, the bar H is at the outer end of its stroke.

The switch-rails X will then be in line with the side track Z. The signals for lines X and Y will then be at danger, and the shifting of the signal 6 by lever 5 from its previous position of danger to safety will look all the other devices in their proper positions. WVhen the devices (Figs. 1 and 3) are in this position the stem 8 of the switch-bar H occupies a position in the seat 0 such that it cannot be moved without first moving the plate D; hence it cannot be moved by any irregularities of motion or other force of the passing train. It issupported securely on both sides in the direction in which the switch-rails must move if they move at all, and being so sup.- ported it can only bemoved by moving the plate D hence the rails X. cannot be thrown out of position by any action of the train in passing.

Assume, in the next place, thatthe train has passed over this line, and that the operator desires to pass a train over line X X. For this purpose, by properly working his levers, he unlocks the previous combinationshifts signal 6 from safety to danger, puts X and X in line, and shifts signaletfrom danger to safety but in shifting X into line with X, the switchman, by operating the leverD moves the plate D forward, and thus causes the stem 8 I to move to the left along the slots 6 and 0 until the devices come into the position shown in Fig. 4, in which it will be seen that the friction-rollers s on the upper and lower ends of the stein s are inclosed as against a motion in the direction of the length of the bar H by the straight side of the seat 0 coming against one side of the upper roller, and the straight side of the seat 0 coming against the opposite side of the other roller; hence the bar H and with .it the switch rails X are securely looked as against all tendency of the train to force, push, or jar them out of line with the rails X. The train having passed over this line, if connection of X with Y be desired the switches and signals are unlocked, as before. The operator then shifts his switch-lever B so as to give to B a backward thrust, and in so doing causes the stem 8 to follow the slot 6 and a, resting finally in the seat 0 as shown-in Fig. 5, where the parallel sides of the seat perform the same function as is already described in connection with the seat 6 From this description reverse movements will be so readily understood that they need not be explained.

In a two-throw switch (illustrated in Fig. 7) the apparatus willitself beinterlocking. Thus used a connection. is to be made from the switch-levers B D to the usual signals 4 6, so that the switches and signals can be worked by the same levers. Then, with the devices in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the line X Z will be open, the signal 4 at "danger, and the signal 6 at safety, also, the stem 5 of the switch-bar Hoccupies a position in the transverse slot 0 of the plate B, so that plate B cannot be moved; hence the dangersignal on line X cannot be moved to safety, nor can H be shifted, except by moving the plate D: but the first movement of plate D will shift its signal on-line Z from safety to danger, but assuming that the train has passed over the line Z, it is desired -to close that line and shift the switch so as to open the line X. y 4

It will be observed that the lower end-of the stem. 8, with its roller s, is now in the seat e at the end of the diagonal slot 6 The switchman, by operating his lever, moves the plate D forward, and thus simultaneously shifts the signal 6 of line Z from safety to danger, and also causes the stem 8 to move to the left along the slot '0 and 0 until the devices come into the position shown in Fig. 4.

The movable switch-rails are then midway between their proper positions for connecting with or opening the two lines, and both signals are at danger. Then he takes his other switch-lever, which is'conn'ected with B, gives it a backward thrust, and in so doing causes the stem 8 to follow the slot 6 and a, resting finally in the seat 0 as shown in Fig. 5. The same motion of the switch-lever which does this also shifts the signal 4 of B (on line X) from danger to safety. LineXis then open, and its signal is in the proper position. The plate D is now locked by the roller 8 of stem 8 engaging the sides of the transverse slot 6, so that the danger-signal on line Z is locked, and the switch cannot be shifted except by giving D a forward thrust; but this would instantly change the signal for that line from safety to danger, so as to avert possibility of accident from improper signals.

Thus it will be seen that when either switchconnection is broken or closed the proper signal is locked at danger; when either switchconnection is open or unbroken the proper signal is and must be at safety that the firstand a diagonal slot, and forming seats as a as described, in combination with bar H, hav- 10 r k means of imparting motion to and looking a ing stem 8 and friction-rollers s, substantially switch-bar, substantially as set forth. as set forth. i i 2. The plates B D, having each the arrange- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set I 5 ment of slots shown and described, each dimy hand.

agonal slot ending in a seat, 0 6 and conjointly CALEB H. J AGKSON forming a middle seat, 0 e, substantially as Witnesses: and for the purpose set forth. I R. H. WHITTLEsEY,

3. The plates B D, having slots and seats, GEORGE H. OHRIsTY. 

